Chess game

ABSTRACT

A chess game, comprising a set of standard chess pieces on a standard chess board; and a set of cloaking devices, designed to prevent the image of each individual chess piece to be seen by an opponent, yet allowing a user of those particular chess pieces to view the individual chess piece.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

MICROFICHE

Not applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to chess set pieces. More specifically, it relates to a chess pieces cover designed to hide the shape of the chess piece from an opponent during a game of chess.

(2) Background of the Invention

Chess is an ancient game played using two sets of pawns and pieces on a board with 64 spaces or squares of alternating colors, typically light and dark. Typically, the pawns and pieces are white and black, although other colors may be used as well. The pawns and pieces will be referred to in this application generically as pieces and the sets of pieces will be referred to as white pieces and black pieces. In this application, chess set game will be considered to include a chess set and a chess board. The chess set will include two sets of chess pieces (white and black) and a container for the chess pieces.

Pieces for portable chess set games are often stored in a flexible bag, a cardboard box or a wooden box, with or without foam padding. One of the problems with a mixed or jumbled set of chess pieces arises out the antisocial, competitive nature of chess. To begin a chess game with the pieces in, for example, a pouch requires dumping the pieces onto a flat surface, usually the chess board. One player will pick out the white pieces and the other the black ones. If the players are good, the process will be a hectic one. One player will often be in a hurry to start a new game to avenge a previous loss and the other will be equally anxious to prove the victory was no fluke. As each player hurriedly sets up the pieces, some of the pieces may end up on the floor, or worse, one player will hide one or more of his or her opponent's pieces and surrender them only after having neatly set up his or her own. The same problem exists when a wooden box is dumped, except that the black and white pieces are more or less separated, assuming the pieces were separated when put into the compartmentalized box.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art and to provide an apparatus to hide chess pieces from the opponent while playing a standard chess game on a standard board. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved method to hide chess pieces while playing the chess board game, which has all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.

An object of the invention is to provide a chess piece cover, or cloaked, which is adapted to fit over, or hide, the chess pieces associated with the first player so that the second player, opponent, is not able to recognize the chess pieces while playing the chess board game. Further, the chess piece cover has a transparent portion facing the first player, so that only the first player is able to recognize the chess pieces. Further, the first player and the second player are able to hide the chess pieces by using the chess pieces to cover.

An additional embodiment of the chess game, comprising: a set of standard chess pieces on a standard chess board; a set of cloaking devices, designed to prevent the image of each individual chess piece to be seen by an opponent, yet allowing a user of those particular chess pieces to view the individual chess piece.

In yet another embodiment, the cloaking device includes a base portion, sufficiently large to allow a chess piece to sit thereon; and a shield portion, that is attached to the base portion, and extends virtical distance sufficient to hide an identity of the chess piece from the opponent.

In another embodiment of the chess game the cloaking device includes a base body having a cavity extending therethrough to a top portion but not extending into the top portion; and a viewable portion, extending along a verticle length of the base body a sufficient distance to allow the user to view the internal contents of the base body, but not to allow the opponent to view the contents thereof.

In a variation of the presently disclosed embodiments the base body is a cloth material.

In a variation of the presently disclosed embodiments the base body is a box with the viewable portion being a transparent material; wherein the base body is a box with the viewable portion being a cavety that is not viewable be the opponent.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty that characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that the embodiments may be combined, or that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural and logical changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

The subject invention includes certain chess pieces and chess sets, each set comprising two identifiable teams of sixteen such chess pieces each: eight pawns, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, one queen, and one king. A subject invention chess piece is made from components. As used herein, “component” means an individual piece of a material or article of manufacture. As used herein, a “holed component” is a component comprising a hole completely or part way through it. Such components are generally used for purposes other than making chess pieces.

Preferred chess pieces of the subject invention are made primarily from hardware components. As used herein, “hardware component” means any small individual article of manufacture typically sold in a hardware store. Non-limiting examples of hardware components include nuts, washers, bolts (including machine screws), pieces and fittings of tubing and pipe, wall anchors, and knockout seals. There are large varieties of types and sizes of such hardware components. Preferred hardware components are primarily made of metal, but may be made wholly or partly of plastic or other materials. Metal hardware components are made of steel, steel coated with zinc or nickel or other metal or material, stainless steel, brass, bronze, copper, and other metals. Plastic hardware components are made of nylon, polyethylene, polypropylene, and other polymers and copolymers.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the present invention provides a chess piece cover 12, or cloaking device, that is adapted to hide the image of the particular chess piece from an opponent. As illustrated, in one embodiment, there is a piece of card board 12 that is folded so that the bottom of a chess piece sits on top of a first portion, and the second portion of the card extends upward sufficient to hide the chess piece image from an opponent. In particular, as illustrated, there is one bent card for each chess piece in the game. In another embodiment, there are only covers used for one player to use, in this fashion, only one player is at the disadvantage of not seeing the pieces.

One skilled in the art of making items that can hide a small item from the view of an opponent, yet allow the user to see the item, there would be innumerable designs that may achieve the desired scope of the described invention. For example, in one embodiment, the cover may fit over the chess pieces, much like a rectangular box. In particular, all sides of the rectangular box are solid and not transparent, except that the side of the rectangular box facing the player using those particular pieces. That particular wall or side would be made of a transparent material so the player can see their own piece while playing the standard chess game. Additionally, the one transparent wall could be made of an open space, having no material therein, to let the use view the chess piece through the opening.

Additionally, in yet another design adaptation, the chess piece cover has a base body having a cavity; the cavity is adapted to receive chess pieces. Further, the chess piece cover is snugly fitted over the chess pieces. Further, the chess piece cover may include an elastic member configured at the opening of the base body of the chess piece cover for holding the chess pieces in a secure manner. Further, the chess piece cover can be made in any shape and size so that it can be implemented on various types of chess pieces.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the chess piece cover is made of cloth, bone, horn, stone, metal, polymer, plastic, nylon, polyethylene, polypropylene, other polymers and copolymers and the combination thereof.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the chess piece cover may have inexpensive delicate texture material over the outer surface of the cover, not only the corresponding text, image, logo, advertisement, and the combination thereof.

Further, the present invention makes a traditional chess board game more interesting and challenging by using the chess piece covers. Further, the chess piece covers can be used with any type of chess board game by covering individual chess pieces. Further, the chess piece covers are viewable on one side that is open or transparent so that each player can only see their own chess pieces. Further, the player has a choice to remove the cover and play a regular chess game.

It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-discussed embodiments may be used in combination with each other. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description.

The benefits and advantages that may be provided by the present invention have been described above with regard to specific embodiments. These benefits and advantages and any elements or limitations that may cause them to occur or to become more pronounced are not to be construed as critical, required, or essential features of any or all of the embodiments.

While the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it should be understood that the embodiments are illustrative and that the scope of the invention is not limited to these embodiments. Many variations, modifications, additions and improvements to the embodiments described above are possible. It is contemplated that these variations, modifications, additions and improvements fall within the scope of the invention. 

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 7. A cloaked chess game, consisting essentially of: a. a standard chess board; b. a set of standard chess pieces positioned on the standard chess board in standard placement of the standard chess pieces; and c. a set of cloaking pieces, designed to hold individual standard chess pieces, prevent the image of each individual chess piece to be seen by an opponent, allow viewers of the chess game to see the individual pieces, and allowing a user of those particular chess pieces to view the individual chess piece, wherein each of the cloaking piece, consisting essentially of: i. a flat sheet base, having a thickness of a sheet of material; and ii. a single vertical wall, coupled to the flat sheet base, having a width of the flat sheet base, a thickness of the sheet of material, and a height sufficient to hide viewing of the standard chess pieces from an opponent, but enabling viewablity by observers located on a side of the standard chess board. 